Bethesda: We were 'forced' to sue Mojang

Bethesa’s VP of marketing Pete Hines claims that ZeniMax was “forced” into suing Mojang for calling their digital card game “Scrolls”, claiming it caused market confusion with The Elder Scrolls.

”Mojang’s public comments have not given a complete picture as it relates to their filings, our trademarks, or events that have taken place,” stated Hines. According to Kotaku, ZeniMax’s duty to protect its trademark includes the word “Scrolls”, thanks to the US Patent & Trademark office noting the naming similarity in a letter filed two weeks before ZeniMax’s suit. The USPTO rejected Mojang’s US trademark application.

ZeniMax is legally obligated to defend its trademark, and deny any permutation of the word “Scrolls” in Mojang’s game, because, as Kotaku stated, ”someone may intentionally try to damage Zenimax’s brand by releasing a game called, for example, Eldritch Scrolls X: Skyrim the Love Dragon. Or Morrowind from the Nether Regions, an Elder Rolls Game.” As Hines stated, ”Nobody here enjoys being forced into this. Hopefully it will all be resolved soon.”

That being said, it seems odd Bethesda could sue someone for using a word in the English language.